Definitely. Sunday night is peak television viewing time.
They clashed many many years ago when ATN7 had the rights to both, but 7 either shoved the VFL to Ten or the rugby league wasn’t a sellout so there was delayed evening coverage, iirc. Would never happen these days.
A Sunday night game could rate lower. At the moment non-AFL fans especially in NSW and Qld tune in for an entertaining Saturday afternoon but if given a decent alternative might not do so on a Sunday night.
Think if the GF is moved, it will probably be a Saturday twilight game starting anywhere between 4:30pm and 5:10pm/5:15pm eastern. Such a timeslot would be a good balance between appeasing ‘traditionalists’ who like/prefer having a day GF and those who want a night GF because ratings will increase and better pre/post-match entertainment can be offered.
AFL would be completely dumb to put a GF on a Sunday. You don’t want two big events clashing together
They would never move it to Sunday. If it went up against the NRL grand final it would lose viewers. Whereas the NRL would also lose viewers but not as many. People in Adelaide and Perth dont watch the NRL Grand Final whereas the AFL grand final is still watched by many in qLD and NSW
The AFL GF would still be the #1 program.
But both it and NRL GF would lose viewers/canabilise each other.
Ratings for NRL GF in Melbourne would be bad, ratings for AFL GF in Sydney & QLD would be bad (of course depending on teams playing).
The AFL aren’t desperate at all or arrogant enough to do that.
It won’t happen.
Yeah I agree AFL would easily be the number 1 but it wouldn’t get much over 2 million. The thing the AFL has done brilliantly that the NRL has not is that they created a competition that all states will tune into to see who wins the grand final. The NRL hasn’t achieved this with SA or WA and not really in Victoria unless the local team is playing. So if up against one another the NRL would probably get similar figures because the viewers in the other market are already low. The AFL has inflated viewers in the markets that are not so popular.
I think the AFL will leave this year’s Grand Final as a afternoon match & move it to a twilight match from 2018.
But the NRL has the State of Origin that provides three prime time games that are popular in all states and was the number one show in 2015 IIRC.
I don’t think it was ‘popular’ in South Australia.
But my discussion was related to the two Grand Finals being head to head.
It actually wouldn’t work for Northern States. If they move to a twilight game, let alone a night game on weekends other than when the GF falls on September 30 (the AFL GF is moving back to a September GF this year which is why they were so keen for the development of the Junction Oval to be a first class cricket venue, thus gaining earlier access to the MCG to get that last Saturday in September date), the NRL plays a Preliminary Final with their GF on the first Sunday in October. They’ll lose almost ALL of their northern audience, which given GWS is being basically set up to make the GF this year would be a disaster for the AFL.
Magpies and Bulldogs in must-win AFLW battle
Saturday 25 February
Collingwood is in search of its first AFLW win for the season against the Western Bulldogs this Saturday at the Whitten Oval.
Both teams put up a fight in tough games last weekend, but could not turn their hard work into a win. The Bulldogs and Magpies now both desperately need a win to stay in the hunt for a berth in the inaugural AFLW Grand Final, just four weeks away.
All eyes will be on Kristen McLeod in round 4, as the Western Bulldogs’ current leading goal kicker along with Katie Brennan who missed last week with injury. Emma Kearney has been a star in the midfield all season and leads with the most disposals for the Bulldogs.
Collingwood are still yet to make a splash in the inaugural AFLW season, falling four points short of their first win last week against the Brisbane Lions. The Magpies won most disposals, clearances and marks inside 50, showing they do have what it takes to compete at the top level.
Jason Bennett and Nigel Carmody will call the match with Lauren Arnell and Leigh Montagna in expert commentary. Sam Lane will take up field commentary continuing to bring stories and insights from the coaches and players.
Seven will broadcast the AFLW Grand Final live and exclusive on Saturday March 25, the first weekend of the men’s competition.
Seven is the leading free-to-air sports broadcaster in Australia and will broadcast live coverage every Saturday night during the AFL women’s season throughout 2017, having been the first broadcaster to air women’s AFL back in 2015.
Broadcast times:
Sydney 6.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Melbourne 6.30pm LIVE on 7mate, 7pm LIVE on Channel 7
Brisbane 5.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Adelaide 6.00pm LIVE on 7mate
Perth 3.30pm LIVE on 7mate
Seven (at least on Prime7) were airing the first 2017 AFL Premiership Season promo from a couple of nights ago 
It looks fantastic, really well done, with their classic “we just love the footy” tagline at the end.
I saw the promo last night at the end of AFLW telecast. It features Bulldogs premiership player Marcus Bontempelli doing commentary cameo while Bruce McAvaney is stuck in traffic! It is really well made.
Looks like Brian Taylor & Bruce McAvaney will do Friday & Sunday Footy, Basil Zempilas, Luke Darcy And Richardson will cover Sat night football.
BT will call with Hamish on Sundays unless the game is in Adelaide. Bruce has only done Sunday games in Adelaide for the past few years now.
Lucky the Bont is a star footballer, because acting obviously isn’t his forte…
Will be interesting to see how this weeks AFLW game will rate in Melbourne given it’s 2 non-Victorian teams playing, notwithstanding their unbeaten status.
That’s not the one I saw, I just saw a standard one with footy highlights and up-beat music with “no more delayed games” / “more prime-time footy than ever”, etc
TV Cynic posted in Seven Network thread that this match will be shown live on 7mate around the country, including Victoria. EDIT: since then Seven has released a further amendment advising the match will be shown live on the main channel in Adelaide.